Hapag-Lloyd plans emissions reduction

German carrier Hapag-Loyd aims to reduce its CO2 emissions per teu per kilometer by a fifth by 2020 according to the company’s first sustainability report.

Hapag-Loyd hopes to bring emissions down by 20% compared to 2016, and the carrier said it had already cut CO2 production by 46% compared with 2007.

Jörg Erdmann, senior director of sustainability management at Hapag-Lloyd, said: “Time and again, our involvement far exceeds the measures required by law. For example, we are one of the few global shipping companies that recycle its container ships in an environmentally friendly manner in specifically certified shipyards – even if this entails additional costs.”

The carrier also endorsed the recent International Maritime Organization (IMO) decision to halve greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry by 2050.

Erdmann said: “What matters now is for all market players to pull together in the same direction. Hapag-Lloyd will do everything within its power to contribute to achieving this goal.”

The carrier laid out further green initiatives in its report, such as buying containers with steel floors rather than wooden floors to reduce the use of tropical wood. Around 1% if Hapag-Lloyd’s current box fleet has metal flooring.